Ohio Dept. of Job & Family Services
Ohio and U.S. Employment Situation; Unemployment slightly down 

Ohio's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.0 percent in April 2013, down from 7.1 percent in March, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS).  Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary employment increased 7,600 over the month, from the revised 5,175,600 in March to 5,183,200 in April. 

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in April was 400,000, down from 407,000 in March.  The number of unemployed has decreased by 21,000 in the past 12 months from 421,000.  The April unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 7.3 percent in April 2012. 

The U.S. unemployment rate for April was 7.5 percent, down from 7.6 percent in March and down from 8.1 percent in April 2012. 

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 7,600 over the month, from a revised 5,175,600 in March 2013 to 5,183,200 in April, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) in cooperation with ODJFS. 

 Goods-producing industries, at 853,500, gained 800 jobs over the month. Increases in manufacturing (+2,400) exceeded declines in construction (-1,400) and mining and logging (-200).  Private service-providing industries, at 3,583,700, gained 7,400 jobs.  Employment increased in leisure and hospitality (+5,300), trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,500), other services (+1,500), and educational and health services (+800). Losses were seen in professional and business services (-2,300), financial activities (-1,000), and information (-400). Government employment, at 746,000, decreased 600 as losses in federal government (-900) and local government (-300) outweighed gains in state government (+600). 

 From April 2012 to April 2013, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 4,400.  Goods-producing industries decreased 300 over the year. Construction lost 9,200 jobs. Manufacturing gained 8,800 jobs in durable goods (+5,000) and nondurable goods (+3,800).  Mining and logging added 100 jobs.  Private service-providing industries increased 18,700.  Gains were posted in educational and health services (+12,300), leisure and hospitality (+4,200), trade, transportation, and utilities (+2,600), financial activities (+1,800), and other services (+900). Losses were seen in professional and business services (-2,000) and information (-1,100). Government employment decreased 14,000 through losses in local government (-7,200), state government (-3,800), and federal government (-3,000). 

NOTE: All data cited are produced in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Labor. Data sources include Current Population Survey (U.S. data); Current Employment Statistics Program (nonagricultural wage and salary employment data); and Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (Ohio unemployment rates). More complete listings of the data appear in the monthly Ohio Labor Market Review. Unemployment rates for all Ohio counties as well as cities with populations of 50,000 or more are presented in the monthly ODJFS Civilian Labor Force Estimates publication. Updated statewide historical data may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Labor Market Information at (614) 752-9494. Ohioans can access tens of thousands of job openings, for positions ranging from file clerks to CEOs, at www.ohiomeansjobs.com.